A Snowball's Chance
by Zauber
Summary: A Wizard is attending Elsa's coronation, when she reveals her powers. Will he be able to help her achieve control? Perhaps. Will she, even with help, be able to protect Arendelle? Perhaps not. For Elsa's show of temper at the ball makes her some powerful enemies, enemies that will stop at nothing to destroy her... and the city she loves!


Disclaimer: Elsa and all the other characters in Arendelle and Weselton (and Arendelle and Weselton themselves) are owned by Disney. The other characters are my inventions, including Dareth, the Citadel, the White Tower, and everythign else not from the movie.

**Prologue**

"This is ridiculous!" Dareth said heatedly, "I'm a scholar, gods damn it, not a bloody diplomat!"

Absalom sighed and shook his head, "I know, I know, and you'll still have a chance to argue your case, but really. Think about it. You've been here how long?"

"Eight years" Dareth replied grudgingly.

"And in that time," the elderly man beside him asked, "what has the council asked you to do?"

"That's not the point and you know it!" Dareth argued, but much of the heat had gone from his voice, and he now had the resigned mien of a man fighting a hopeless battle.

There was a lull in their conversation, the silence of the ancient fortress broken only by the soft rustling of their robes against the stone floor. It was true, Dareth had been studying at the Citadel for nearly a decade, and had never been asked to do more than contribute the results of his studies, so he felt vaguely guilty about objecting now. On the other hand, his whole life had been dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, and he found the idea of being demoted to errand boy repugnant.

Taking another tack, Dareth ventured, "Surely they have other dancing monkeys they could send? That... that _village_ is hardly worth a moment's consideration, much less a visit from a Master of the Art."

"Perhaps, but you are not a master-"

"Only because Raelith is biased against me!" Dareth burst out. He had challenged for mastery twice in the past two years. If he had succeeded – in either attempt – he would have earned broken the record for the earliest mastery attainment, a record set a decade earlier by none other than Master Raelith himself.

Absalom raised his hands placatingly. "Bias or not, in the eyes of the council you are as yet a journeyman. As to why we are sending anyone at all, well... There have been rumours."

This was new. "Rumours?" Dareth asked.

"Yes, rumours. There have been strange fluctuations in the environment around Arendelle. Waves of heat and cold, rain when there should be snow and snow when there should be rain... You can see why we are concerned."

"You think the White Tower is involved?"

"You did not hear me say that." Absolom answered flatly. "In any case, the council wants someone on-site. Someone with skill, but-"

Dareth nodded, understanding. "But not a master. Someone with a lowly journeyman's title, but more than a journeyman's talents." Suddenly, Dareth narrowed his eyes. This was awfully suspicious timing. "Just how long have these "rumours" been going on?" he asked.

Absalom blinked; the closest thing to a look of surprise that Dareth had ever seen on his mentor. The old man was far too wily to give anything away through his expression. "There were some hints before," he hesitated, "but we really only became suspicious two years ago. We have been monitoring the situation since then."

Dareth nodded. It could be a coincidence, but he knew he would never get confirmation one way or the other. The Mastery trials were sacrosant; to interfere with them, especially for mere political expediency, would be an unforgivable crime.

"I don't like my course being steered for me." Dareth said flatly.

"The council is well aware of your predilection for independence. I assured them that I would be able to convince you, and they placed their full trust in me."

"Yes, and their full blame if you should fail." Dareth sighed. "You really think this is _that_ important?"

Absalom nodded seriously. "Travis voted to send you."

"Wait, Master Travis? The seer?" Dareth asked.

"Yes, that Master Travis. As if there was any other. More importantly, this is the Travis who has abstained from every council vote for the past thirty four years. If he is taking an active hand in this, the portents must truly be dire."

Dareth nodded sharply. "Alright then. But I still want something from you. Convince Raelith to loan me his copy of _The Sea Of Grass_, it's the only one in the citadel."

Absalom smiled. "A small matter my dear boy, which I would be glad to help you with. I think you'll find, now that the matter has finally come to a head, that Raelith may be rather more agreeable than you realize. Now, I have taken the liberty of arranging a ship..."


End file.
